Services

Here at Grand Falls Agromart we’re in the business of growing. Whether it’s your lawn, personal garden, your produce stand or your farming multiple acres, we’re here to help you succeed. We’ll be there every step of the way! We’ll help you analyse your soil and crops, with our drone and tissue sampling, to determine the lack in nutrients and the products best suited for whatever your trying to achieve.

Here’s what we do;

  • Crop Advisory
  • Tissue Sampling
  • Laboratory Analysis
  • Drone Services
  • Nutrient Planning
  • Application Support

During the growing season, tissue sampling (petiole) occurs weekly to monitor the progression of the crops. Last year, more than 130 field locations were sampled throughout Aroostook County Maine and Northern New Brunswick. This gives opportunity, in real time, to see Agronomy at work in the field as the crop grows. Much information is gleaned as the potatoes develop and mature in many different settings and with a variety of challenges. Nutrients, disease, and insects are noted and recorded for each site. This gives ample opportunity to learn about potato production in real life situations in an extended laboratory setting.

Once the petiole samples are collected, they are sent to the lab for analysis. Results are usually received in 2 to 3 days. In the meantime, drone flights are expected to occur to also monitor the progression of crops during the growing season. This will be done using regular imaging as well as NDVI and NDRE technologies. Not only will we be flying over our petiole sampling field, but also where trials are being conducted on new products, and other crops in order to gain as much information as possible for current and future references.

After the tissue sample results are received from the lab, the results are applied to our graphs were each nutrient is charted for the season’s growth pattern for each different site. This is where recommendations are made for supplemental nutrient applications based on field observations, lab results, drone flight data, and personal experiences. Historical lines and critical lines have been implemented in these graphs based on previous crop analysis and observations made through the years.

Towards the end of the growing season, soil sampling is done to get a jump on lime and fall nutrient applications such as potassium, zinc, and manganese. These recommendations are done in relation to yield goals.

Through these observations we insure that supplemental nutrient applications are done in a timely fashion, that does not waste resources, time and money. Precision agriculture is very important and this technology is being used in concert with GPS equipment to enhance our ability to raise bigger, better quality crops in a more efficient and cost effective manner.

We are as committed to the success of your crop as you are. Please don’t hesitate to come see us with all of your questions.

Understanding Drone Services

What is NDVI?

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is a measurement of the amount of live vegetation in an area and is commonly used for agricultural assessment.

NDVI is a type of data which indicates the health of vegetation. When near infrared light hits the leaf of a healthy plant it is reflected back into the atmosphere. As the amount of chlorophyll produced in a plant decreases, less near infrared light is reflected. This can be used to see the overall health of a crop. The NDVI algorithm compares the reflected intensities of near infrared (NIR) and visible light.

The values are calculated for each pixel of your map, giving them an index in the range -1 to 1.

Value Indication
< 0 Inanimate / dead material, e.g. roads, buildings, soil or dead plants
0 -> 0.33 Unhealthy plant material
0.33 -> 0.66 Healthy plant material
-> 0.66 Very healthy plant material

NDVI Crop Management Benefits

  • Canopy coverage & density detection.
  • NDVI with time provides accurate growth trending.
  • Frost damage detection.
  • Large scale pest outbreaks.
  • Optimizing crop rotation duration.
  • Ecological Benefits.
  • Vegetation dynamics or plant phenological changes over time.
  • Soil moisture.
  • Carbon sequestration or CO2 flux.

What is NDRE?

The normalized difference red edge index (NDRE) is similar to Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) but uses the ratio of Near-Infrared and the edge of Red.

NDRE uses a red edge filter to view the reflectance from the canopy of the crop. The red edge is a region in the red-NIR transition zone of vegetation reflectance spectrum and marks the boundary between absorption by chlorophyll in the red visible region and scattering due to leaf internal structure in the NIR region.

This allows the grower to determine all the different variables for crop management. Understanding the levels of chlorophyll can provide the farmer with the ability to monitor photosynthesis activity.

With NDRE information the grower can optimize harvest times based on transitions of photosynthesis activity. This information in invaluable as a crop management tool for harvest scheduling allowing the grower to have the highest quality produce.

Other factors that can change chlorophyll levels and cause crop stress are insect infestations. By utilizing NDRE you can determine how severe an infestation is and then use a precise way to terminate the infestation. This not only allows you to monitor outbreaks, but also reduce costs associated with pest control.



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